Some People are just Evil
by imloopy
Summary: Lucifer is back after a year in Hell. But can life settle back to normal for all concerned? As the team struggle to work together, a case hits uncomfortably close to home for Lucifer, as a prison guard's wife is found dead. Note: this story picks up exactly where Picking up the Pieces stopped.
1. Back to Normal

"_Picking up the Pieces" describes how Chloe coped during the year Lucifer was in Hell, and how his siblings worked together to arrange to manage Hell on his behalf, so he was free to return to earth. Lucifer finally made it back just in time for Charlie's first birthday party, at the penthouse. This scene is the end of that story and the beginning of this one._

The party felt like it went on forever, but eventually the guests started to leave, the youngest guests looking ready for bed despite the fact it was only mid-afternoon, and the adults not looking much different. Dan surprised Chloe by taking her to one side and offering to take Trixie back with him. "I know she was supposed to stay here tonight, but I thought you might need time to - you know - talk?"

"Thanks, Dan," she said gratefully, and gave Trixie a big hug before sending them on their way.

Linda spoke to her as well. "Are you okay with this?"

Chloe looked over her shoulder to where Lucifer and Amenadiel were deep in conversation. "I think so," she said, although suddenly she felt far from certain.

"If you need anything, you know where we are," the therapist assured her.

Charlie seemed reluctant to leave his new-found relative, holding out his arms and crying "Lulu! Lulu!" as Amenadiel tried to distract him with one of his new toys.

And then they left too and it was just Chloe and Lucifer.

"I'm sorry," she said, feeling awkward. She glanced around her, seeing all the signs of a children's party, all the changes they had made in the place since they had been living there. Hos different it now was from when Lucifer lived there. What must he think about how she had treated the place? "Our apartment flooded, and we needed somewhere to stay, and then Trixie started to learn the piano and we never got around to leaving, but I'll pack my things…"

He shook his head. "And you never sold the place?" Chloe couldn't tell whether he was annoyed or relieved.

"Of course not. It's yours. And I always knew you'd be back." Her voice faltered. "I hoped you'd be back. Lucifer - I wanted you back so badly. There's just one thing I don't understand - Amenadiel said you were locked in Hell with the demons and no one could get in or out, even you."

Lucifer gave that smile she had missed so much. "The jailer is locked into the prison with the prisoners, but he's the one who has control of the key," he pointed out. "And anyone locking themselves in and not holding the key securely would be rather foolish, don't you think?"

And then her tears started to flow and he stepped forward and took her in his arms.

* * *

She finally felt like she was where she belonged, and as she sobbed into his chest and he held her close, the agony and sorrow of the past year faded to memory. She didn't know how - or if - this would work. She couldn't know what was going to happen. But she knew that now, by some miracle, they had a chance to find out.

Cornelius Burnett parked his car on his drive and sat for a minute summoning up the courage to go in and face his wife with the news that the special ingredients she insisted she needed for tonight's meal were nowhere to be found.

"Who wants hemp pasta anyway?" he grumbled to himself. Sarah fancied herself as a fancy cook, while he would be happy with steak and chips. Still, he had to admit the taste was usually worth the effort.

Except when she forgot things and sent him out to fetch them.

He didn't even know what he was looking for, if he was perfectly honest. If she wanted these things she would have to get them herself, he decided, and opened the car door to go and face the music.

As he stepped out of the car, something caught his attention on the house next door. The front door, which was normally firmly shut and guarded by heavy locks and bolts, stood open and unguarded.

He looked around to see if there was any sign of Lucas Melville nearby. Normally he wouldn't bother worrying, but having a prison guard living next door made him a little warier than he might normally be over security. Melville was always incredibly safety conscious, and drummed into the whole neighborhood the necessity of keeping their doors secure.

Burnett hesitated for a long moment, and then stepped cautiously towards the door. "Hey, Melville, you there?" he called.

No answer.

He looked around, as though the answer might lie behind him, but there was no assistance to be seen.

"Hello?" he called again, moving closer.

For a moment he wondered whether to head into his own house and retrieve his gun. But all was still and silent within the house. Maybe they'd driven off somewhere and forgotten to close it, as out of character as that would be? Melville's SUV was missing, although his wife's small city car still stood on the drive. Rebeca was a pretty young thing and always gave him a friendly wave when she saw him, although Melville appeared fiercely protective of her and she wasn't allowed to stand in the streets chatting, so Burnett had never actually spoken to her.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he stepped up to the door. "Hello? Is everything all right?" he called.

Unable to resist the urge to see inside his neighbor's home, he stepped through the door, and almost choked on the stink of blood. He peered into the next room, and saw a foot lying on the ground. As he moved further into the house, more of the scene revealed itself to him: a woman lay on the kitchen floor, her back to the door, curled into a ball.

At least, the clothes indicated it was a woman. The face was battered beyond recognition, and blood lay in a congealing pool on the floor, surrounding the woman and spreading beyond.

He backed out of the house, hand over his mouth as though to hold back a scream, and ran towards his own house, all thought of exotic cooking ingredients completely forgotten in his rush to raise the alarm.

* * *

Chloe didn't know how long he held her before her tears eased; she stepped away from Lucifer with an apologetic smile and gratefully accepted the red handkerchief he offered her from his top pocket.

He smiled down at her, that familiar smile that she had missed so much, and yet somehow with undertones she couldn't yet interpret. His eyes held a compelling mix of laughter and pain, and she felt herself begin to float away in those dark pools. "So, detective," he said. "Tell me what you've been up to in my absence. Obviously not using my money to improve your life and have fun, as I'd intended."

Suddenly conscious of the mess around them, Chloe started to stack plates and tidy toys away. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wasn't expecting you back - well, I mean, I was, but I didn't know when, and…"

He caught hold of her hands. "I don't care about this place," he said softly. "I was asking about you."

She struggled to find the words to speak to him. What should she say? She had imagined this moment for so long, and then when he had finally reappeared it was in the middle of a child's birthday party, of all things. And now everyone had gone and she could finally talk to him and she couldn't think of a single thing to say.

"I'll pack my things," she said at last. "I can go back to my apartment. I should have gone weeks ago, really, I've moved some of the stuff back and it's ready to move back into, but I…" She hesitated, and he lifted an eyebrow.

"Trixie loves playing your piano," she finished in a rush. "And it seemed unfair to take her away from it until I had to. But I'm sure she'll be fine. She wants a kitten. I told her we can't have one here. But now we can move back and she'll be sad, but she'll be happy about the kitten-"

"You stayed here because Trixie likes my piano?" he said softly, sounding disappointed. Then he sighed. "You don't have to go."

"But this is your place, Lucifer. I mean, I know you signed it over to me, but I'll sign it back, of course, and…"

He abruptly turned away. "If that's what you want," he said, and his voice sounded cold and uninterested.

"It's not - Lucifer—"

As she struggled to find the words to reach him, her phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket with a sense of relief. "It's work," she said, glancing at the screen.

A couple of minutes' listening, and she looked up at Lucifer, who was staring at the phone intently, as though he could make it explode with his eyes. Could he make it explode? She gave a deep sigh and pushed the thought away for now. This was not the time to explore the extent of the devil's powers. "Lucifer, we really need to sit and talk," she said. "But right now I have a murder case."

He raised an eyebrow but did not move.

Did she dare…? "Want to come with?" she offered tentatively. What a stupid idea. He'd just got back from Hell. He probably wanted to - what would you want to do if you got back from Hell? Have a shower? Have a good meal? Was there food in Hell? Did it have running water?

She began to giggle hysterically as a torrent of questions threatened to drown her, and to hide it she turned away, heading for the elevator. "I've got to go," she said, forcing herself to sound at least marginally sane. "But you're welcome to come along for the ride if you want. For old times' sake?"

For a moment, she feared he was not going to reply, but as she pressed the button for the elevator she heard his footsteps behind her, and her imagination conjured up the heat of his body close to hers. Or was it more than her imagination? "I wouldn't miss it for the world," he murmured in her ear as the doors dinged open.

* * *

Ella checked the settings on her camera and snapped a photo of the congealed blood pool. The kitchen was spotless, apart from the blood that seemed to cover most surfaces, and could have been used as a showroom.

Around her, Dan and a couple of unis checked the rest of the house, moving methodically around and examining whatever they found for clues to what had happened. Ella watched them for a moment then took a couple of steps away from the body and took more photos from a different angle. Voices disturbed her thought process and she looked up and gave an excited squeal as she saw Chloe and Lucifer arriving on the scene together. It had taken them all by surprise when he had been at the party, and she had watched the two of them closely, trying to work out what was going on. Chloe had seemed almost shy around Lucifer, although she had been moping after him for months, while Lucifer had looked completely overwhelmed and rather quiet.

She wondered where exactly he'd been, to have such an effect on him. It was almost the reaction she would expect from someone returning from a war zone, but Chloe had been strangely reticent any time she'd asked, and she couldn't imagine Lucifer in army uniform waving a gun.

"Hey guys, it's great to be back to normal!" she cried in greeting, shaking off her curiosity. She would worm it out of him at some point, she promised herself. "Lucifer, I didn't get a chance to talk to you before, but I'm so glad you're back. Chloe missed you so much. Well, we all missed you, but Chloe missed you most."

Chloe gave her a smile that seemed lacking in the pleasure she would have expected with Lucifer back. "What have we got, Ella?" she asked quickly.

Ella took the hint, at least for now, and dragged her attention back to the matter in hand.

"The victim is Rebeca Melville, 24 years old. She's been completely battered with a steak tenderizer and stabbed with a large kitchen knife. Looks like she was cooking and got interrupted, and boy did her attacker work out his frustrations." She snapped another couple of pictures of the victim before starting a slow trawl of the kitchen itself, recording the layout and the suspected murder weapons, which lay on the edge of the blood pool.

Dan appeared at the foot of the stairs. "It appears her husband is missing," he said in greeting. "He's a prison guard. First thought is that an ex-inmate with a grudge came after him, killed the wife and has taken him off somewhere to get his revenge."

Ella watched him with a small smile. It was so good to have the team back together. And Lucifer always seemed to light up the scene when he was around. The appropriateness of his name prompted a small giggle, which turned to a frown as she reflected that on this occasion the light he brought with him was definitely dimmer than usual.

On impulse, she went over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He jumped, startled, and looked down at her. "What prompted that?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Just thought you looked like you needed a hug," she answered, not releasing the pressure. To her surprise, his rigidity lessened just a little and he made a small attempt to return the hug, a definite development from his usual awkward pat on the back. He seemed to accept the affection more readily than usual; she had always found it strange and a little disturbing that the man was so ready with sexual pleasures but shrank away from a little gentle friendship.

"Dan! Where's Trixie?" Chloe looked around as though expecting to see her daughter pop out from behind a chair. Ella released Lucifer and took a step away, noticing that he seemed to lean slightly towards her as she did so. Another change; normally he seemed only too happy to be released.

"I dropped her off at Linda's," Dan answered his ex-wife. "She didn't mind, she loves playing with Charlie."

Ella suppressed a wince; she knew Chloe was often infuriated at Dan's ability to shirk his parental responsibility. But Chloe appeared to be thinking of other things this evening. A small frown appeared on her face, and she glanced in Lucifer's direction, but he was now staring down at the victim, with none of his usual irreverence.

Dan had taken out his notebook. I've spoken to the prison," he said. "They've come up with the name of an ex-prisoner who had a run-in with Melville around a month ago, just before he was released. We've got an address for him."

Chloe took the note he held out to her. "We'll check him out," she said. "Lucifer, you coming?"

Lucifer shook his head, still absorbed in the crime. "This poor woman is killed just because her husband is a prison guard?" he said. "We can't have that, detective. His work should be honored and he should be respected. It's an important job. Why should his wife suffer?"

Ella smiled. She had forgotten how involved Lucifer could get in cases. He looked genuinely upset for the poor victim.

Chloe gave him a sideways look, and touched his arm. "We'll find him, Lucifer, don't worry. And we'll catch our guy. Justice is what it's about, right?"

"Punishment," he answered absently. "Punishment is what it's about, detective."

"And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Ella tried to lighten his mood. "After all, you're the devil, right?"

The expression on his face was suddenly bleak. "You know, Miss Lopez, I'm not entirely sure I am anymore."

Ella watched the two of them leave. "Now what do you suppose he means by that?" she asked Dan.

"I've never understood that guy and I'm not going to start trying now." Dan hesitated for a moment. "I'm glad for Chloe's sake that he's back," he said. "But honestly - we could do without the distraction. She'd just started to settle down without him, to accept he wasn't returning. And now - somehow I have a nasty feeling this past year has been the eye of the storm. And I fear that now it's back stronger than ever."


	2. You're staying, aren't you?

Chloe glanced uneasily across at Lucifer as she drove. There was definitely something bothering him. And while she had spent the last year longing to see him again, now he was actually with her all she could think of was that moment in the Mayan, where he had revealed his devil form in all its glory and ordered the demons back to hell.

What was he doing here, with her? What could he possibly expect from her?

She swallowed hard and forced herself to concentrate on the road, swerving to avoid someone who thought that pulling out without looking was a good choice. Maybe she should take a hint, take a good look around her, make sure she knew what she was getting into. She decided that moving out of the penthouse was definitely the right thing to do. Give them both some space. Sure, they'd had a year of space, but that was different. Now he was back…

"We're here." She pulled up outside a small whiteboarded house, which had half the boards rotting and hanging off, while one section had been freshly replaced and another gleamed with a new coat of paint. The front yard was full of junk, and they picked their way past a sofa with torn covers and a table with a broken leg to reach the front door without speaking.

The door was opened by a black woman in her mid-thirties, dressed in jeans and an old shirt covered in smears of paint. She looked suspiciously at them, and brandished a paint brush that was threatening to drip light blue paint. "What do you want? I'm in the middle of decorating here, I don't have time for salespeople."

Chloe flashed her badge. "We want to speak to Jonas Bailey."

To Chloe's surprise, the woman's face cleared. "Oh, Detective Decker, it's you, sorry, I didn't recognise you. He's not here. He's down the Caleb Foundation. Been there all day. He always is, Thursdays. You know where that is, of course."

That was not the normal reaction Chloe expected to flashing a police badge. "Have we met?" she asked.

"Yes, of course we have. You were over at the Foundation a couple of weeks ago, when Joe was showing me around."

Something clicked in Chloe's mind. "Joe? Your husband is Joe from the Foundation?"

"Yes, honey, that's right. Such a great job they're doing there. And Joe's so happy. That Amenadiel is a great guy, he's a real angel, with all that work he does, you know?" The woman waved the brush around. "He got the paint for us, to give the place a makeover. Now Joe's back home, and he's got that job, there's lots of changes we're planning to make."

With a quick glance over at Lucifer, Chloe nodded and smiled. "Yes, I know, thanks. We'll go talk to him there. Sorry for disturbing you."

Lucifer appeared puzzled as they walked back down the path to the front gate. "That was not the way I was expecting that to go," he admitted.

"No, it really wasn't," Chloe agreed. "I don't think this is what we first thought. I know Joe, he appeared a nice guy when we met. Ah well, this should be interesting. You'll get to see where your brother works."

"Where my brother…"

She laughed at his confusion. "Yeah. Amenadiel owns and runs the Caleb Foundation. Great job they're doing, too. We're really starting to see a real difference in attitudes. I guess you've just seen a first-hand example of that."

"What in hell's name is the Caleb Foundation?" Lucifer sounded bewildered. "And Amenadiel has a job? Well, I suppose it was about time he made himself useful."

With a patient sigh, Chloe explained. "Caleb was that kid who was arrested for one of our cases, just before… just before you had to go away. And we proved he didn't do it, but he was involved with some drug dealers and got shot and killed. Amenadiel had been helping the boy, and he set up the Foundation in his name, to help kids who risked getting involved in criminal activities and to offer them a way out, a chance at a better life."

Lucifer tilted his head to one side, looking thoughtful. "How typical," he observed. "My brother the angel, forcing his ways on people."

Chloe laughed. "Hardly. But he offers them a safe place to hang out, a chance to make friends, learn new skills, and some who have failed at normal schooling have classes there during the day. I help out sometimes, and so does Dan, and around half the other cops at the station have done a stint there at some point. It's really starting to make a difference."

No more was said on the topic, but it looked like Lucifer was thinking deeply as they drove the short distance to the Foundation.

It was housed in a large building that had once housed a private school. Now it served a very similar purpose, but under the supervision of Amenadiel and his team. The parking lot contained a mixture of family cars and old bangers, and half a dozen teenagers were hanging around outside the main door, chatting. One aimlessly flipped his skateboard up and then dropped it again, while two more were arguing animatedly. A pair of girls were standing on the edge of the group, looking as though they were summoning up courage to speak.

As Chloe and Lucifer drew closer to the open door, they could see inside, where another boy was standing in a large hallway with head down, listening to Amenadiel. He looked as though he was receiving a heavy lecture.

"I'm sorry, Amenadiel," the boy said. "You're right, I won't do it again."

Amenadiel glanced up and saw his visitors approaching. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and looked earnestly into his face. "I'm sure you won't, Tucker," he said. "I have faith in you."

The boy nodded and rejoined his friends, pulling a face. "Why is it that lectures from Amenadiel feel like they last a lifetime?" he asked with a wry grin.

"I know," skateboard boy answered sympathetically. "It's quick really, but it feels like time slows to a crawl. He caught me smoking last week, and I haven't dared do it since and risk another lecture. Life's too short, man!"

Chloe caught Lucifer's eye and saw him grinning broadly. She touched his arm, relieved to see that his sense of humor was still there, even though it mostly appeared deeply buried right now.

"Chloe, Lucifer, it's good to see you," Amenadiel greeted them. "What brings you here? I would have thought you would be-"

"We're here on business," Chloe interrupted, not sure she wanted to hear what Amenadiel expected them to be doing. "Is Joe here? He's Jonas Bailey, right?"

Amenadiel nodded. "Yes, he was released from prison a month ago, and has become a valued member of my team," he said. "There's no trouble, I hope?"

That was what Chloe hoped too. "We just need a word with him," she said. "His name has come up, and we need to speak to him in connection with an enquiry."

Amenadiel raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "He's just finishing up a maths class," he said. "Could you give him five minutes?"

"I don't suppose that will be a problem," Chloe said, and Amenadiel led them to an upstairs room where they could see half a dozen youths, including two girls, with their heads down over textbooks at a large table, while Joe Bailey stood at the head of the table talking. He turned and scribbled something on a whiteboard on the wall behind him, and his students stared at for a moment, then started to nod in understanding. He spoke for a few seconds more, and then dismissed them, looking across at Chloe with recognition in his face. He looked wary, but his expression showed no indication that he expected to be questioned in a case of brutal murder, and Chloe relaxed slightly. While this meant that they couldn't hope for this case to be solved as quickly as they had first thought, she liked Joe and couldn't believe he was capable of such a violent crime.

"Detective Decker, it's good to see you," Joe said, coming over to them and offering a hand to shake. He looked curiously at Lucifer.

Amenadiel beamed. "This is my brother, Luci," he said, placing a hand on Lucifer's shoulder momentarily.

Chloe sneaked a sideways glance at Lucifer, who looked completely confused and overcome at the pride in his brother's voice. She nudged him, and he swallowed and held out a hand. "Lucifer Morningstar," he introduced himself.

"Okay," Joe said, almost successfully suppressing a reaction at the name. "I'm pleased to meet you. What can I do for you folks? There's nothing wrong, I hope."

As Lucifer wandered off towards the whiteboard, Chloe gathered her thoughts. "Do you know a Lucas Melville?"

Joe thought for a moment. "You mean Melville the guard at the prison?" At Chloe's nod, he continued. "I know him a little. We met at the prison, and when I got out he found me a job here." While as wary as she would expect anyone to be, talking to a police officer, Joe did not seem particularly worried.

"We heard you and he had a massive fight in the prison," Chloe said. "That you threatened him. That the last thing you said to him as you were released was that you'd be looking for him."

Lucifer had picked up one of the books on the table, and appeared to be reading through it. Chloe frowned at him, but he took no notice.

There was a moment's silence, and then Joe nodded cautiously. "We did have a massive row, a while back," he admitted. "But that was a misunderstanding. We made it up the next day. Melville was a great guy, once you got past him being a guard. Unlike most of them up there, he was actually human. He does a lot of work here with the kids on anger management, says that when he was growing up he had a filthy temper, always getting into trouble, and it was just pure luck that he didn't end up in serious trouble for it. But someone helped him and now he likes to pass that on. When I said I'd be looking for him, that's because he told me to head for here, that they might be able to give me a job." His face creased in concern. "Has something happened to him?"

Lucifer picked up a pen, seemingly ignoring the questioning. Chloe thought back to the times he had juggled with evidence, or played with a flashlight at a crime scene. It seemed some things hadn't changed, at least. She felt a slight easing of the tension that had been starting to build between her shoulder blades at her partner's behavior.

"His wife was found dead this afternoon," she said, forcing her attention back to Joe. "And Melville himself is missing. Can you think of anyone else who might have a grudge against him?"

"Honestly, he's a great guy," Joe answered. "Gets on with everyone. Although in the last couple of weeks I've seen his temper flare a little." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I'm sorry, Detective, but I really can't help you. You could try talking to a couple of the other guards, I think they were good friends. They might be able to tell you more about what he's been doing lately. But I've only really seen him when we teach basketball together on a Monday evening."

"And you've been getting along okay?" Seeing the case slipping out of her reach, Chloe tried one last angle.

"A bit of friendly rivalry," Joe admitted. "But when you're leading a team of these kids, you channel it into the game. That's what he taught us. Get riled up, sure, but you channel it, make it useful." He glanced back around the room. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to sort my things and get home. My wife will kill me if I'm not there to help her with the decorating this evening." He winced. "Sorry, poor choice of words there. I'm really sorry to hear about Melville's wife. As far as I know, he adored her, and he'll be devastated at her death, I'm sure."

Chloe stepped back and let him get on with his tidying, turning to Lucifer with a shrug. "Doesn't look like he had anything to do with this case," she said.

Lucifer tossed the book and pen down on the table, and Chloe looked at it. On the diagram, where the instruction was written "Find X", Lucifer had drawn a large arrow, and the words "There it is." She didn't know whether to laugh or scold him. It was good to see some of the old levity returning, but it served as stark contrast to his current subdued demeanor.

"So, how's it going, brother?" Amenadiel asked him.

Lucifer spread his hands. "Oh, you know how it is. Hard to get used to the lack of fire and ash up here, but at least the company is better."

Amenadiel smiled. "And Jophiel is doing a good job?"

"He insists he's doing just fine. I'm not going to stand over him and watch. After all, I had to work it all out for myself," Lucifer answered, rather abruptly. Chloe listened in fascination to this casual discussion of the management of Hell. While Lucifer had offered to answer any of her questions, back when she had been adjusting to the whole idea of him being really the devil, she had been too caught up in the whole metaphysical issue of the situation to wonder about the practical details. But now he didn't seem at all keen to talk about the place and she felt bad for wondering.

Now he looked over to see her watching him, and broke away from his brother. "What's next, detective?" he asked with a cheerfulness that sounded forced.

As Chloe opened her mouth to answer, her phone rang. She fished it out of her pocket. "Yes? … Okay."

She hung up. "Traffic cams have caught a report of Melville's car heading away from the city a couple of hours ago. He appeared to be alone in the car, so it looks like the kidnap theory is a bust. I think it's time to call it a night and start afresh in the morning."

* * *

Lucifer looked around him as they arrived back at the penthouse. It was all so familiar, and yet now it felt strange, alien. The signs of change were subtle; the decor in Lux was a little different, and the barman greeted Chloe as they passed through, while barely acknowledging him. Some of the regulars nodded at him, but there were many faces he had never seen before. A beautiful woman sang, while gazing adoringly at the young man who was fondling the keys on the piano.

Lucifer's piano.

Chloe's piano now.

He smiled at the thought of the urchin playing his piano. Maybe she would play for him sometime, show him her progress. He had missed her. He had missed all of them.

But most of all he had missed Chloe. He had missed her so much that his body ached with longing. The time he had spent in Hell had been torture, to the point where he finally understood the term. Thinking of her, of how returning to his throne was the only way to keep her safe. Knowing that remaining with her put not only her but everyone on earth at risk.

And now that he was back, she wanted to go away.

He had thought she accepted him, understood who he was and still wanted him. Loved him.

Had he been so wrong?

They stepped into the elevator, and both reached for the button at the same time. He jumped, pulled his hand away as though it had been burnt. She looked over at him, startled, and he shrugged it off. "I was forgetting this is yours now, detective."

She held his arm, leaned close. "It's yours, Lucifer. I told you, I was only looking after it for you."

"Then I appreciate that, thank you." The penthouse and his other worldly goods were all that he had been able to leave for her, and she had rejected them. He felt an odd twist in his gut.

They reached the penthouse and as she pulled away again, he found himself shivering at the withdrawal of the warmth of her arm.

"I'll just pack up my clothes, if that's okay," she said, suddenly beginning to babble. "I can take the rest later. You're probably tired. I should let you rest. We can start again tomorrow. I'll help you change the bedding before I go."

Lucifer could hardly bear to look at her, afraid to see again in her eyes the fear that he had seen on a previous occasion. "I can deal with that, don't worry. And you don't have to go," he said. "Are you sure that's what you desire?"

At the familiar word she swung round towards him. "It's what I think is best, right now, Lucifer," she said. "It's great to have you back, but now I think we need some space to figure things out. You're staying, aren't you? Not rushing off back… back to _there_?"

He nodded. "My brother Jophiel has taken over. I need to check in on him from time to time, but I think it's best I leave him for a while, let him get used to his new role."

"Then we have plenty of time." Chloe smiled at him, and something inside him melted. "No need to rush."

He stared after her as she disappeared into the dressing room. "Plenty of time?" he said, too quietly for her to hear. "That's just what we don't have. Only your lifetime. Not mine."

She reappeared a few minutes later wheeling a pink and white suitcase, and he watched as she loaded it into the elevator. "I'll see you in the morning, okay, Lucifer? We can get this case out of the way and then we can talk. Really talk. Figure out just what we're doing." She hesitated, and then stepped back over to him and reached up to kiss him gently on the lips, one hand caressing the back of his neck. "Welcome back, Lucifer. Sleep well."

As the elevator whirred its way downwards, Lucifer lay down on his bed, breathing in the sweet scent that Chloe had left behind on the flowery bedding that formed a stark contrast to his usual black or gold. Closing his eyes, he imagined her lying next to him. As his body slowly began to relax, the world around him melted, until he gasped and sat upright, drenched in sweat. In his dreams, he had returned to Hell, but this time with Chloe by his side. She had been terrified by the screams and wails, and he had tried to comfort her, but she had been overwhelmed by fear.

Now he sat on the bed, gazing out over the city without seeing it, trying to imagine what Chloe would think of Hell. The thought was unbearable.

Just as unbearable was the thought of being separated from her, as her soul went to Heaven.

Just one human lifetime. Not even a complete lifetime. He had lived an eternity without her, but then he had met her and his life had changed. And now, in a few decades at the very most - a blink of an eye to him - she would be either condemned to Hell by his side or separated from him forever in a place he could not even visit.

And in the meantime he would spend every day fearing to lose her, fearing that because of her job, because of who she was - or maybe even because of who he was - she would be hurt, even killed.

What was the point? What was the bloody point?

Eventually he lay down again, and at one point he must have fallen asleep, but of the type of sleep that left him more exhausted than if he had remained awake.

* * *

Amenadiel let himself quietly into the house and greeted Linda with an affectionate smile. "Is he asleep?" he asked.

"Finally," she answered. "Trixie and I were just playing a game."

"Trixie's here?" He slung his jacket over a chair back and sat down in the armchair opposite the couch where Linda and Trixie were sitting. On the coffee table in front of them was a game of Frustration. Trixie grinned at him. "Want to play?" she invited him. "We've only just started. You can be blue."

"Dan dropped her off," Linda explained. "He was called in to work."

Amenadiel exchanged glances with her. What would Chloe make of that? He pushed the thought to one side and focused on the game for a few moments.

"You're too nice," Trixie told him as he moved one of his counters.

"What do you mean?" he asked in surprise.

"When I play with Lucifer, he's always landing on my counters and sending them back to base," she explained. "It's really annoying. But it's fun too, I guess." She took on a thoughtful look. "I've really missed Lucifer. Is he okay now? He looked sad when he was at the party. Do you think he'll want to play with me again now he's back?"

"I'm sure he will," Linda assured her.

"You can fix him, right?" Trixie turned an earnest face in her direction. "You fix people when they're sad? That's what Mommy says."

Linda stroked her hair gently. "I try," she agreed. "And I'm sure Lucifer will be fine once he's settled back down. Right, Amenadiel?"

Caught by surprise, Amenadiel nodded. "I'm sure he will," he said. But there had been something bothering his brother, he could sense it. He just hoped that he would deal with it properly, instead of bottling it up until he exploded.

Who was he trying to kid? This was his brother, the devil, that he was thinking about. Of course he would need help to process things. "Linda and I will help him as much as we can," he promised the young girl, and Linda nodded in agreement.

"How's things at the Foundation?" she asked Amenadiel, and he appreciated the chance to change the conversation away from worrying about Lucifer.

"It's going well," he told her, deciding not to mention that Lucifer and Chloe had called in as part of their investigation. "Some of the lads were approached by those drug dealers they had trouble with before, but managed to stand their ground. It could get nasty, but I'm confident that they're strong enough now to know what they need to do, and if they do have more problems then I'll deal with them myself."

"Don't do anything you shouldn't," Linda warned him.

Amenadiel drew himself up. "I am a s—"

"It's your turn," Linda interrupted, jerking her head towards Trixie.

He sank back into his chair, a little hurt. Linda still didn't truly understand how strongly he felt the need to fulfill his destiny as his father's favorite son and a soldier of God, and he was banned from even mentioning it in front of the children. Although he had made it into a bedtime story that he would tell to Charlie whenever he had the chance to put him to bed for the night. The little boy would wave his arms around and babble cheerfully, but had so far shown no sign of his own heritage and destiny. Amenadiel had checked regularly for any sign of wings, but so far the boy had barely even shown signs of wanting to walk, let alone fly.

Until this afternoon, when he had walked across the room to greet his uncle.

He was not jealous. Amenadiel told himself that very firmly, and pushed the thoughts to one side so that he could concentrate on his dice throw and movements.

"You could have sent me back to base then, if you'd moved the other one," Trixie pointed out smugly.

"I thought not sending it back was the nice way to play," Amenadiel protested.

"It is, I guess." Trixie stuck out her bottom lip, thinking for a minute. Then her face lit up with pleasure. "But nice isn't always the best way to play."

* * *

Chloe sat on the edge of her bed. It felt so small after Lucifer's huge one. She considered how large that had felt the first time she had slept in it, hugging Lucifer's pillow for comfort. She had cried herself to sleep so many times in that bed. Somehow it had never felt like it really belonged to her, despite the legal papers that said it did. And now she resolved to head to the lawyers' office as soon as she could to pass it all back to him. She felt relieved at the thought that it was no longer her responsibility, that she could let someone else worry about the maintenance of the different properties, make the decisions on how Lux ran.

And at the same time she felt empty, as though a part of her had been ripped away.

And then there was Lucifer.

She had spent so much time studying the few photos she had of him, exploring every inch of his face, studying the set of his body, considering his facial expressions. She felt as though she knew him inside out.

But when he had returned, she had a overwhelming feeling that she didn't really know him at all.

It was this sudden shyness around him that had prompted her to insist on moving out. It didn't matter though, right? Surely she had imagined the disappointment on his face. It wasn't as though she was walking out on him forever. Like he had to her, leaving her desperately missing him, and not knowing if he would ever return. If he wanted to. If he even could.

She had grown used to missing him, finally, and then Amenadiel had broken the news that he would soon be returning. Since that moment, she had spent all her time imagining what it would be like to have him back.

And now that he was back, she didn't know what to do.

With a deep sigh, she wrenched her mind back towards the case. Would someone really hate a guard so much that they would batter his wife as revenge? Even if the guard himself was fair with prisoners?

Did anyone deserve hate just because of the job they did?

Her thoughts had circled back to Lucifer without her noticing, and as she curled up in the cold bed she wondered what he was doing right now. She half sat up, reaching for the phone she had placed by the bed, and then lay back down again. That was silly. She would see him in the morning. And then she would reassure him that she still loved him.

Did she still love him?

Or was she in love with an image of him that she had conjured up in her mind, to keep herself company on dark, lonely nights?

Could the love that she had finally acknowledged just before he disappeared stand up to the reality of a relationship with someone she saw every day?

She drifted off to sleep, to dream uneasily of angels and demons and of running frantically between the gates of Heaven and Hell, trying to work out whether she dreaded more to be in Hell with Lucifer or in Heaven without him.


	3. Dealing with the worst of the worst

_As I post chapter 3, the world around me is a strange place. Everything seems to be shutting down and there are rumors both positive and negative in the air._

_Stay safe, people, and I hope my contribution helps to entertain you if you're stuck at home._

* * *

As the elevator doors pinged open, Dan gazed around. He was looking for signs of Lucifer's return, expecting - what, everything exactly as it used to be? - but it looked exactly the same as it had the previous day for Charlie's birthday party. There had been minimal attempts made to clean up, but a plate of birthday cake still rested on the piano and the toy box stood open in the middle of the room, with toys scattered around. A single blue balloon floated against the ceiling.

Dan absentmindedly ate a couple of stale crisps from a dish on the bar. "Chloe?" he called, suddenly sharply conscious of the fact that maybe he should have called ahead.

"Daniel! If it isn't Detective Douche himself dropping in to visit."

Dan fixed a smile on his face as the familiar figure strolled down the steps from the bedroom. "Hi Lucifer, glad to be back?" he asked.

"It's always good to be home, Daniel," the tall man replied. Dressed in his usual three piece suit, this time dark grey with light grey suit, he was adjusting his cuffs in the familiar gesture. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I called for Chloe. I've been giving her a lift in to work some mornings."

"Well you've come to the wrong place, I'm afraid. She's not here."

"You kicked her out?" Indignation welled inside him. "How dare you!"

"Interesting that you would jump to that conclusion," Lucifer responded. "And why do you think I would kick her out?"

"Oh, I don't know, because you're an unfeeling idiot? First you walk out and leave her and don't even bother to contact her and let her know you're okay, then you finally come back and put her out of her home - which you gave to her, no less. Don't you dare hurt her again!"

"Or what, Daniel?" Lucifer stepped closer, using his extra height to intimidate him. "Just exactly what would you do to protect your ex-wife from the danger that I pose to her?"

The pain of having to watch Chloe pining for her lost partner welled up inside him, and Daniel raised his fists.

Lucifer laughed. "You'll hit me? Really? Would that make you feel better, Daniel?"

"I'll wipe that smile off your face!" Dan snarled.

"Go on then," Lucifer goaded. "Do your worst, Daniel. See how badly you can hurt me. Take out all your frustrations on me."

Daniel's fist flew, and he hit Lucifer squarely on the chin.

It was like punching a wall.

Daniel howled, holding his fist, and Lucifer shook his head in mock despair.

That was enough to burst the dam of emotion inside Dan: all the pain of losing Charlotte, all the helplessness of watching Chloe struggle, all the guilt that he felt over Charlotte's death and the self-loathing that he had turned into hatred of Lucifer. He let out a primal yell and started using Lucifer as a punchbag.

And Lucifer just stood and let him do it, merely rocking back slightly at each punch and making no attempt to defend himself or fight back.

Until Dan landed another punch to the stomach and one to his face and Lucifer fell back, doubled up in pain. Dan stared down at him, horrified, coming finally to his senses and trying to work out how the man had put up with so much punishment to then be floored by a single punch.

"What the hell have you done to him?"

He whirled at the voice; he hadn't noticed the elevator doors opening behind him.

It was Chloe, dressed for work and looking shocked at the scene she had walked into. She rushed over and helped Lucifer to his feet. The man brushed her off, climbing to his feet and gingerly feeling his cheekbone, the other arm guarding his midriff.

"I'm fine, Detective. Your timing is impeccable, as ever."

She scoffed at him. "Having a good game, were you? Honestly, the pair of you are worse than the children!"

Dan hung his head, not daring to look either of them in the eye.

"It's all right, Detective, Daniel was just defending your honor," Lucifer said. "He was upset because he thought I'd thrown you out last night."

Chloe sighed. "Dan, it was my choice, not his," she said, and Dan winced at her patient tone of voice, as though she were talking to a small child. "I thought that he would prefer to have the place to himself, to settle back in."

"Oh." So why hadn't he just explained that? Dan thought back to the conversation, and the heat rose in his face as he remembered just how he had jumped to conclusions and to using his fists.

Chloe glared at him in that face he recognised from being used on Trixie. "Sorry, Lucifer," he muttered.

Lucifer brushed invisible dirt from his jacket. "No harm done, Daniel," he answered smoothly. "I hope you've managed to rid yourself of some of your frustration."

He nodded awkwardly. "So any news on the case?" he asked Chloe, trying to change the subject and to avoid staring at the reddened swelling growing under Lucifer's left eye.

Chloe nodded. "Lucifer and I are heading up to the prison," she said. "We want to talk to some of the staff up there, see if they have any more suggestions, but Joe Bailey had nothing to do with either the disappearance of Melville or the murder of his wife."

She turned to Lucifer. "Are you ready?"

He bounced on his toes. "Ready when you are, Detective. Let's go catch whoever committed this heinous crime. We have to protect our guards. After all, they do a vital job of protecting us."

So that was how it was to be. He was back and stepping straight back into the routine of investigating with Chloe. Dan knew when he was beaten. "I'll check through the forensics reports," he said, resigned to another day of desk work.

"Thanks, Dan." Chloe shot him a grateful smile, and then linked her arm with Lucifer's. "Come on, Lucifer, shall we take the Corvette?"

"You mean you haven't wrapped it around a tree yet?" Lucifer answered, raising an eyebrow. "Well done, Detective."

He pretended to wince when Chloe elbowed him, and Dan felt a pang of guilt at the pounding he had just put him through.

Although somehow, the last pair of blows were the only ones that Lucifer seemed to even feel.

* * *

Chloe kept sneaking glances at Lucifer as they passed through the security points at the prison, wondering how he had spent his evening, and how his prolonged stay in hell had affected him. And what had been going on between him and Dan? She remembered another time she had seen him with a bruised face. "Just a disagreement between me and my bro," he'd claimed then. But what had he and Amenadiel ever had to fight over?

Would she ever really understand this man?

This devil?

This angel?

They were only heading in to talk to the guards, but there were still several checkpoints. Lucifer nodded his approval at one point. "We've got to keep the people safe from these nasty individuals," he said.

Eventually, after several long waits, they managed to speak to a guard named Henley, who the warden said was a close friend of Melville's. He was shocked to hear of Rebeca Melville's death, and of the disappearance of his friend.

"I can't think of anyone who would hate either of them that much," he said. "He was always a good guy."

Chloe picked up on his hesitation. "But?" she prompted.

Henley gave her long, hard look. "He changed recently," he answered reluctantly. "Everyone got on with him. He treated these prisoners like regular people, and most of them really responded to it. But last month he got swapped out to the high security wing, and he didn't like that."

"He changed? How?"

"I've known Melville for years. We were friends at school. Not that he had many friends back then - he had a pretty nasty temper. Always says that's what makes him a great prison guard - he knows what it's like to get into trouble for not thinking, knows how hard it can be to bite your tongue, hold back the fists. He would run anger management sessions."

"We heard about that. Heard he did a lot of great work with the kids at the Caleb Foundation." Chloe thought about Dan. Maybe he could do with a little anger management help himself. She pushed the thought aside and forced herself to concentrate.

"And now?"

"Well, he doesn't always seem to control his temper," Henley said. "It's as though being with those guys, they've got no filter, got no self control, and it's like they're changing him. He scared me last week."

"He scared you?" Chloe looked the burly man up and down, and he shrugged.

"Hey, it doesn't matter your size, you got someone screaming in your face, it's unsettling. Sure, I'm used to it from the prisoners, but this was from someone who was supposed to be a friend."

He closed his mouth, and looked as though he regretted saying that much. "I mean, I'm not saying he killed his wife or anything, but there was definitely something going on that he wasn't saying about."

Lucifer had looked uninterested until this point, but now he turned his attention to the conversation. "The guy was dealing with the worst of the worst," he pointed out. "Anyone would find that difficult. Anyone would find themselves changed by the experience."

"Oh, I agree, don't get me wrong," Henley hastened to say. "But this - this was unreal. I mean off the charts anger. To tell the truth, I was really worried about him. He apologised afterwards, but you know how something happens and then you can never go back to the way things were?"

Chloe found herself shooting a glance in Lucifer's direction, and blushed as she caught his gaze. "Did you say anything?" she asked the guard.

"Nah. I didn't want to get him into trouble, you know? He's usually a good friend. But I kept a closer eye on him after that, and that wasn't the only time he had one of those outbursts. Normally at one of the prisoners, but a couple of nights ago…"

Lucifer stepped closer. "A couple of nights ago…" he prompted.

Henley shrugged. "Nah, honestly, it was nothing."

Lucifer shot a glance at Chloe, and knowing what he was asking, she nodded to him to go ahead.

Gazing directly at the guard, Lucifer turned on the charm. "Tell me, what is it you really desire?"

Henley appeared to be drowning in those eyes. "I want to never work with that guy again!" he blurted out, and then looked shocked at his words.

"Really? He was that bad?"

"He was mad at his wife. He wanted to go to the poker game, with the other guys, and rang to tell her he'd be late. She didn't want him to stay, she was cooking a special meal for him. And he just exploded, man! He screamed at her, destroyed his phone and when I tried to calm him down I thought for a minute he was going to attack me. I was scared for my life!" His eyes were wide as he relived the experience.

Now that was an interesting development. Chloe looked over at Lucifer, who was shaking his head. "The poor man," he said, and Chloe wondered what he meant.

"Forced to hang out with the worst of the worst, without even a break for some recreation. It's enough to make anyone snap," he continued.

"Lucifer!" He looked lost inside his own mind for a moment, but as she touched his arm in concern he brought his attention back to her.

"Sorry, Detective. What were you saying?"

"Lucifer, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "But I'm sure Melville couldn't have been as upset as this man claims."

The guard shook his head. "I'm telling you, man, he scared me. I wouldn't have liked to be his wife when he got home. I don't think she'd have gotten the cozy meal she was planning."

Remembering the steak hammer, Chloe frowned. "When did you say this was?"

"A couple of days ago. No, yesterday." Henley's voice broke. "Do you think he did it? Do you think he went home and killed her?"

That was starting to look a distinct possibility.

"What a preposterous idea!" Lucifer exploded. "Just because he is forced to spend time with murderers doesn't mean he'll turn into one himself. That's absolute nonsense. It doesn't happen that way."

Chloe felt him almost trembling beside her, and placed a hand in the small of his back, trying to project calm and comfort. "Come on, Lucifer, I think we need to explore this new angle," she said.

He shook his head, but reluctantly allowed her to lead him away.

She glanced over at him as they settled in the car. "Are you okay?" she asked him. "You seemed a little upset back there."

He returned her look. "I merely find it hard to believe that just because a man once had a bad temper and has been working with violent criminals, he would resort to violent action himself," he answered.

Chloe sighed. "It can happen, Lucifer," she said. "But we don't have any proof yet that it happened here, you're right, and it doesn't mean it's going to happen to every single guard who works with violent criminals." A thought struck her. "I know what you need," she said. "Let's call past my place for lunch on the way back to the precinct. I said I'd check on Trixie with Mrs McKenzie, her new babysitter, and see how they're getting on with Trixie's new little friend."

"Little friend?" Lucifer asked suspiciously, but Chloe refused to tell him any more, and he shrugged and started the engine.

* * *

As the front door to Chloe's apartment opened, they were met by an excited little girl. "Lucifer! Come and meet my new kitten." Trixie caught him by the hand, towing him over to the corner of the room where she knelt down by a small box.

Chloe looked over. "Oh, Trixie! She's beautiful, but she's torn up the kitchen roll for her bed. The little monster! Honestly, how can something so small be so destructive?"

Lucifer looked down at the tiny bundle of orange and grey fur that Trixie lifted up onto her lap from the nest of paper it had been curled up on. "This is it? This was worth moving out of the penthouse for?" he asked doubtfully.

Chloe suppressed a smile at the expression on his face, while Trixie gave a mock sigh. "She's gorgeous, Lucifer. We're trying to think of a name for her. What do you think?"

The kitten leapt from Trixie's lap to Lucifer's leg and climbed up to his belt, digging its claws into his pant legs for traction. Lucifer yelled in surprise and pain and caught the bundle of fur, lifting it up to eye level.

Trixie giggled. "Sorry, Lucifer, her claws are like little needles, aren't they?"

"I've got puncture holes in my leg now," he grumbled. "It's all the detective's fault."

Chloe was fighting to hold back laughter. "She's a match for the devil himself," she chuckled.

"But she's so pretty, Mom," Trixie argued. "You can't be cross with her."

"She's pretty, destructive, vicious with her claws and a match for the devil himself," Lucifer mused. "Maybe you should call her Lilith."

"Oh, I like that name!" Trixie said. "Mom, what do you think? Should we call her Lilith?"

Sensing a trap, Chloe hesitated for a moment. "Who's Lilith?" she asked Lucifer.

Before he could answer, a voice came from behind him. "My mother."

"Maze! I didn't know you were coming over," Trixie said in surprise, wrapping her arms around her friend in a hug that Maze returned in affectionate pleasure.

"So what do you think, Maze?" Chloe asked cautiously. "Is Lilith a good name for the kitten? It was Lucifer's suggestion."

Maze looked at the bundle of fur cradled in Lucifer's hands. She frowned, then her face melted into a smile as Trixie tilted her head in appeal. She nodded. "Lilith will do fine."

"You want to stay to lunch, Maze?" Chloe asked.

"Thanks, but no time. Just picking up a couple of blades, and now I'm off to find an old lady who snapped and killed the man she'd been living with for most of her life, after he finally upset her once too often." She scowled at Lucifer. "I'm not sure whether to bring her in or congratulate her."

He gave her a tentative smile. "It's good to see you too, Mazikeen." To Chloe's amusement he was still cradling the kitten in one hand, while with the other he stroked its head gently.

A call came in from Ella, and Chloe sighed. "Back to work, Lucifer," she said.

* * *

Dan looked up to see Chloe and Lucifer enter the precinct. Lucifer's face showed little sign of the bashing Dan had given it earlier, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't been looking forward to explaining that away, and he had been driving himself crazy imagining how Lucifer might tease him in front of Ella and Chloe. Although after his strange behavior that morning it might be a relief to see him acting more like he used to. "Hi guys, how did it go at the prison?" he asked them, anxious to get straight down to business just in case.

Chloe gave him a quick summary of what they had learned. Dan whistled. "So it sounds like Melville himself could be our guy," he observed.

Chloe nodded. "It appears that way. Any news on his car?"

"No. There's a BOLO out on it, but apart from that sighting driving away from the city last night there's been nothing."

He glanced over at Lucifer. "Is he okay?" he asked Chloe in a low voice. "He seems - quiet." Lucifer was hanging back, reading the noticeboard and seemingly engrossed in a Wanted notice. Where previously he would have gathered a group of admirers around him, today he seemed to be ignoring everyone, although he checked on Chloe every few minutes when she wasn't looking.

"He's just adjusting to being back," Chloe assured him, although she did not look completely convinced by her own words.

"So where exactly has he been?"

Once again that evasive look appeared on Chloe's face. "He had to go away on business."

"So what nightclub business involves being away for a year with no word?" This was really beginning to annoy Dan. He'd spent so much time blaming Lucifer for Charlotte's death, before his sessions with Linda helped him to understand that he was just projecting his own feelings of guilt. And then just as he'd started to come to terms with both her death and his torment, and to consider that maybe he owed Lucifer an apology, the man had disappeared, leaving Chloe heartbroken.

Now he was back, but it seemed like even that wasn't going smoothly. "Chloe, if there's anything you need, you'll ask, right? If there's anything wrong with Lucifer…" For a wild moment, he wondered if the man had been ill, if he had spent the past year in a hospital somewhere. Now he thought about it, the guy did look pale and uncomfortable. Or maybe in prison? The idea seemed wild, but at the same time it might explain his current behavior.

"Dan leave it, please. He just needs time." In a painfully obvious attempt to change the subject, she gazed around the room. "I just need to talk to Ella."

Dan watched her leave, and saw how Lucifer observed her every movement, and yet made no attempt to follow her. He sighed and walked over to him. "Hey, Lucifer, how's it going? Got used to being back yet?"

For a moment, Dan thought the man wouldn't reply, but then Lucifer turned to him with a gaze that seemed full of pain, although he tried to sound cheerful. "Daniel. Yes, back to normal. I've just met your offspring's new companion. Somehow she thinks it makes up for living in the penthouse."

"What? Oh, the kitten. Yes, she was full of talk about it for the past few weeks, saying that she couldn't wait to be able to take it home with her."

"The little thing appears to be rather destructive."

Dan noticed Lucifer rubbing a scratch on his hand. "Yeah, her little claws are sharp, aren't they? Still, she'll soon grow. And then she'll be a big monster instead of a little one." He tried to laugh, but Lucifer didn't seem eager to be entertained.

"It just seems so pointless," Lucifer said. "They last only a few years. What's the point?"

This really didn't sound like Lucifer. "Hey, man," Dan said, feeling uneasy. "It's true they're only around a few years, but they can be great years." He sighed deeply as a thought occurred. "I only had a short time with Charlotte, but even if I'd known before how little time we'd have, I'd still have done it. I wish I'd made more of the time with her, made every minute count."

Lucifer seemed to find that food for thought. "Thank you, Daniel," he said. "I appreciate your perspective."

"So what's with the guard?" Dan asked, shifting to another topic and then realising too late that it was no easier than the previous one. "Everyone said he was such a good guy, but now it turns out he was bad as a kid and he's gone back to that?" He shook his head. "Do you think it's true that if someone's bad then they'll always be bad? That there's no hope? Maybe some people are just evil. They'll always return to their roots."

He thought uneasily of the times he had worked outside the law. Was there no hope for him? Every time he thought he'd got his life together, had learned to follow the rules and do things the right way, he was tempted into stepping outside again and risking trouble. He had shot Malcolm! Had shot at a serving police officer - never mind that Malcolm had been a bent cop and Dan had been protecting Chloe. Maybe it was the action that mattered and not the motivation. He had helped Maze more than once, working outside the law to deliver their own justice, instead of upholding the law as he had sworn to do. Was he doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again?

Lucifer gave him a deep look. "I hope not," he said quietly. "I have to believe that it's possible to change over time. To become better, not worse. I have to believe that there's a chance at redemption for everyone."

"Thank you, Lucifer," Dan said, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and reassurance.

"On the contrary, thank you," Lucifer replied, and Dan bit back a retort as he remembered the times Lucifer had mocked him when he was being serious. On the other hand, at least he was looking a little like his normal irritating self.

* * *

_One more chapter to go, and that leads into the next story of the trilogy, in my version of season 5. I need to up the pace a little!_

_Please do let me know if you're enjoying the story._


	4. Heaven without you or Hell with you

_Apologies for the long wait - the virus has been a little distracting._

* * *

"Lucifer! It's good to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Lucifer's smile showed only a shadow of its usual exuberance, and his face was pale, his eyes dark-ringed. Linda frowned in concern. "Come in, I've just made some coffee. You want some?"

"In the absence of whiskey, coffee would be good."

He followed her to the kitchen and watched as she busied herself making them both mugs of steaming coffee. She studied him covertly, trying to figure out how to handle him. "So where's Chloe?" she asked tentatively.

He shrugged. "She had paperwork to do. I got bored."

This didn't sound like the happy reunion that she had expected. "Is everything all right between you? Do you want to talk about it?"

Taking the coffee, he sank down in an armchair and crossed his legs elegantly, adjusting his pants leg. A wail from upstairs prompted Linda to abandon her coffee temporarily to fetch Charlie from his nap, and as soon as she reentered the room with the toddler in her arms, he reached out to the visitor. "Lulu!"

Linda tried to gauge Lucifer's response as she lowered Charlie to the floor, but the man seemed fascinated by his nephew, his gaze completely focused on his chubby body as he pulled himself up by the couch and set off across the room. He had been barely balancing on his birthday, but now just a day later he seemed to have mastered the skill.

She retrieved her coffee and sat down opposite Lucifer, taking on her usual role of therapist, even as her half-angel son toddled over to his toybox and selected a toy to show off. She followed Lucifer's gaze. "He's grown so much since you went away," she said, trying to ease him into conversation. "And when we see how quickly they change, it brings it all home somehow, how fast time flies. No sign of any wings yet, though, thankfully."

His expression was bleak as he responded. "A blink of an eye, and all the time in the world."

Ah. "So how long was it for you, Lucifer?"

He shrugged, and she guessed he was unable to answer the question, unable even to judge, maybe. So that was the problem. "Lucifer," she said gently, "you're back now, and it's time to make the most of it."

"Time goes so fast for you humans," he said. "I was here eight years. I knew Chloe for three of them. And yet it feels like yesterday I first settled here. And at some point she… she will be gone, and then what? Hell is no place for her. And I can't be with her in Heaven. So this time is all we have."

"So why are you wasting it with me?" Linda asked. "Lucifer, the future might be uncertain, but isn't that even more reason to make the most of the here and now?"

Charlie plumped his teddy on her lap, and she scooped him and the teddy up into her arms. "Our time with Charlie is short, but it's all the more precious for that. Because we know that he'll be grown up before we know it, so we're holding onto every experience, every memory we create with him."

She loosened the toddler's grip on her hair. "Ow, Charlie, that hurts. Be gentle, honey."

Charlie grinned and tried to grab at her glasses, and she held his hand away with a chuckle. "Oh no you don't, why not go annoy your uncle instead?"

Lucifer looked as though she was handing him a stick of dynamite, but as the child grinned and tried to run his hands through his uncle's hair he relaxed a little. "I suppose you're right," he said with a sigh. "But I'm not sure the detective even cares for me still."

At that suggestion Linda laughed out loud. "You're joking, right?"

"But she didn't even want to stay last night."

"Oh Lucifer, that doesn't mean she doesn't care for you."

He brightened a little. "It doesn't?"

"What were you expecting? That the pair of you would fall into bed together? You know Chloe isn't like that. You might not have eternity together, but you have time and opportunity to get to know each other again, to catch up, to ease yourselves back into a relationship."

"I've never had to ease myself into a relationship."

Now that was definitely more like the Lucifer she remembered. "And isn't that why Chloe is so special to you?"

He looked thoughtful. "You're right, Doctor, as ever. I'd forgotten."

Linda leaned forward, and placed a hand gently on his knee. "You've forgotten a lot, Lucifer. Give yourself time to remember what it's like to be among humans again."

He nodded, and then his expression changed suddenly to anger. "I was among humans while I was away. Many of them weren't so very different from the ones here. Oh, some were downright evil, believe me, but I wandered further through Hell than I used to. I used to focus on the worst of the worst, but I checked out the outer rings, and some of them had just lost their way temporarily. If they had had longer on earth, maybe they would have turned their lives around, ended up elsewhere."

"And how did that make you feel?" Linda had cut down on her working hours since having Charlie, but the old techniques felt comfortable: focus on the client, not the problem. Focus on feelings, not events. Never mind what happened, how did it make you feel?

Lucifer jumped to his feet, startling Charlie, who slid off onto the floor and cried out in protest. "How does it make me feel? Bloody furious, that's how! How dare my father condemn an entire race of people at some nominal cut-off point?"

Charlie let out another cry at the angry tone, and Lucifer looked down at him as though he forgotten the child's presence. "Would you condemn Charlie to Hell for pulling your hair?" he asked. "After all, he was hurting you."

"What? No, of course not!" Linda tried to hide her shock. "He's young, Lucifer. He didn't mean to hurt, he's still learning how to be good."

"That's what my father is doing, isn't it? How does he get to make that judgment? How does he get to decide whether a person can change or not? What if Charlotte had died a year earlier?"

Lucifer's anger burned itself out, and he relaxed back onto the chair, reaching out for the coffee he had left on the table. He took a sip and turned up the corners of his lips approvingly. "Next best thing to Scotch, doctor. Thank you." He glanced around, as though remembering where he was. "And thank you for the talk. Your advice is as sound as ever."

"It is?" Linda thought back over what she had said. What advice had she given? Or more worryingly, what advice did Lucifer think she had given?

Her musings were interrupted by the door opening. "Dada!" shouted Charlie, and set off in that direction.

"Hello, son," said Amenadiel, sweeping the child up into his arms. "Hello Luci."

Lucifer nodded at him. Linda tried to judge the atmosphere between the two brothers. Amenadiel had said very little about Lucifer since he had returned to Hell, but as far as she could tell he was pleased to have been able to facilitate his return to Earth.

"What brings you home?" Linda asked. "I thought you were away for the day."

"I was," Amenadiel answered. "But I got called back. Tucker got arrested."

"What? No!" Linda was fond of young Tucker, one of the lads from the Foundation. What happened?"

"He got caught up in a raid. Nothing to do with him, but he was nearby and one of the youths involved dragged him into the matter."

"But he'll be okay, won't he? After all your hard work within the legal system."

"I hope so." But Amenadiel's face was grim.

Lucifer got to his feet. "Anyone you need me to punish? Or do you want me to have a persuasive word in the judge's ear?"

"Relax, brother." Amenadiel waved a hand vaguely. "You're off the job, remember? You relax, focus on Chloe and on getting used to mortals again. I've got it in hand."

Linda caught a flash of emotion on Lucifer's face. Was that part of it? He felt out of place, now there was another angel in charge of Hell? She opened her mouth to speak, but he had had enough of talk.

"It's been good seeing you both, but I must get back to the detective. She'll be missing me."

* * *

Ella was in the middle of studying a lab report when Lucifer returned. "Hi Lucifer," she greeted him. "Are you looking for Chloe? I think she went to check on something upstairs."

"Miss Lopez," he said solemnly. "It's good to see you again."

Ella studied him closely. He still seemed rather subdued, and looked as though he had gone without sleep recently, but as she watched he pulled his flask out of his inside pocket and took a long swig. He pulled an approving face, and perked up a little.

Seeing her watching, he held out his flask, but she shook her head. "Not on duty, Lucifer, remember."

He shrugged. "That's your loss then, this is one of the finest blends I have in my vast collection."

"So…" She pretended to focus on the microscope in front of her, making out it was vitally important, and tried to sound casual. "How's it going, bud? You settled back in?"

"Yes, thank you, Miss Lopez." Lucifer took another swig from his flask.

"So where did you actually go? I know Chloe said it was work related, but she seemed to be afraid you'd never come back. I mean, it was like you were off at a war or something. I kept telling her you'd be fine, but…"

She glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye, trying to judge how her words were landing.

"I was in Hell, Miss Lopez," he answered.

"That bad, huh? I mean, couldn't you just say you couldn't do it?"

Lucifer drew a deep breath. "I went in order to keep the detective safe. In order to keep all humans safe. But one of my brothers has taken over my duties so that I may return."

Ella frowned. She could never quite figure Lucifer out; he seemed so serious sometimes, when he spoke of Hell or God. And then it would be like flipping a switch, and that smile would shine out and she would wait for him to say "Just joking, Miss Lopez." But he never did.

Did he really believe what he said? Ella had always assumed he was a method actor, but maybe he was actually crazy. Maybe… maybe he had been in a mental hospital? She thought back to when he had checked himself in to the ward where a murder had been committed. Had he just pretended to be crazy back then or was there something in it?

Maybe he had turned violent and had been sectioned for his own safety as well as the protection of everyone else?

She shivered, and picked up the papers next to her, casting her gaze over them without taking in a single word as she processed the thought. Whatever you could say about Lucifer's mental health, he wasn't a danger to her or to Chloe, that much she was convinced of. Looking up at Lucifer again, she blurted out, "We care for you, Lucifer, you know that, right? We all missed you so much, and we were worried about you. Couldn't you even call? Or get someone to call for you? If you needed help, all you had to do was ask, and we'd be there for you in a heartbeat." She thought of Dan, and felt heat flushing our face. "I'm sure we all would," she said firmly. After all, Dan had been a lot more settled recently, hadn't he? That loathing he had shown towards Lucifer after Charlotte's death had faded, and it looked like he had come to terms with things a little.

And there had been no more covert make-out sessions for the pair of them, thankfully.

Ella blushed at the memory, and then caught Lucifer looking at her curiously.

"Are you all right, Miss Lopez?"

A deep sigh. "Yes, Lucifer, I'm fine, thank you, and I'm glad you're back and settling down again. Just let us know if you need anything, okay? Don't go off fighting your problems by yourself, you don't have to do that."

He nodded slowly. "Yes, thank you, I'm beginning to understand that."

A machine beeped in the corner and Ella went off to check the results. She looked up at Lucifer, startled.

He leaned forward, tucking his flask away in his pocket. "I do hope you've found the proof that Melville didn't kill his wife."

She shrugged. "Sorry, Lucifer, it looks like he did it after all. We need to find Chloe."

* * *

Linda was still musing over Lucifer's visit when her phone rang. She checked the screen and answered. "Hi Chloe, how are you doing?"

Chloe sounded a little hesitant. "I'm fine, thanks, just wondered if you'd seen Lucifer."

"Yes, he dropped in for a chat, but he left a few minutes ago. He was heading your way, I think."

"Okay, thanks."

There was silence for a few seconds. Linda smiled to herself, imagining what was going on in Chloe's head. "Anything I can help you with?" she asked gently.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Actually, I just wondered if you've got a minute to chat."

"Of course." Linda settled herself back onto the couch, smiling as Amenadiel picked Charlie up and swung him around gently, pretending to make him fly. Charlie thought it was a great game, but Linda had a sneaking suspicion that Amenadiel was hoping to encourage his son's wings to appear.

"Is Lucifer okay? I mean I know you can't break patient confidentiality and all that, but - well, I'm worried about him. Should I be? He's so - I wondered..." Chloe's concern was plain to hear.

Linda hesitated. Usually she kept work and friendship completely separate - life was far easier that way. But Lucifer was different. She'd made a choice before, to act as his friend rather than his therapist, and maybe he needed that again now. His situation was, after all, unique. Did Chloe understand just what he was facing?

Maybe there was a way around this. General information that she could give out without breaking his trust.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Chloe. He just needs time to adjust. After all, he was away a long time."

"A whole year," Chloe agreed.

"Longer than that, for him."

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked suspiciously.

"Well, time goes so much slower in Hell. I can't imagine what it must have been like, all that time. And for the first time in his existence he knew what he was missing and longed to return, and knew that what he left behind would change in his absence."

"I haven't changed!" Chloe protested.

"Oh, but you have, Chloe. You've had a year to process his absence, and his true identity. You've spent that time building him up in your mind, imagining what a relationship might be like with him. And now you're faced with the real Lucifer, and you have to get to know him all over again. Him, not the version of him you've created in your imagination."

"I suppose so." Chloe's voice was quiet, thoughtful.

"And Lucifer - he's trying to work out where he fits in with this world, now he's not only banned from Heaven but no longer has the same role in Hell that he's had for eons. It's not easy for either of you."

There was silence for a minute. "How can I help him?"

Not an easy question to answer. "You need to give him time and space. But not too much. Reassure him that you still care. Make it clear how you feel, because he needs to be able to rely on that to figure out how he feels. He left you - left all of us - to keep us safe. Now he needs to adjust to the fact that he doesn't have to do that anymore."

Linda could hear a voice in the background of Chloe's call. "Sorry, Linda, I've got to go, but thanks. You've really helped."

Putting her phone on the table, Linda looked across to Amenadiel, who was now sitting on the floor building tower blocks for Charlie to knock over. "I do hope Lucifer will be okay," she said.

He laughed. "Lucifer? He's always okay. I don't know how he does it, but he always comes out on top."

"I'm not sure it's that simple," she answered. "But he's got all of us here to support him. I just hope he realises that."

* * *

Lucifer found Chloe walking back to her desk. "Hi, Lucifer," she said brightly. "Where've you been? I was looking for you."

"Oh, I - went for a walk," he answered, deliberately vaguely. He wasn't in the mood for questions about seeing a therapist right now. He still needed time to process the conversation. "Miss Lopez is looking for you. She has news."

"Okay, let's go see her," Chloe answered. She rested a hand behind his elbow as they walked down the stairs, and he felt the warmth of it through his clothes. It felt strangely comforting, although he wasn't sure why he would need comfort. He was back on earth, among his friends, and no longer had to worry about what was going on in Hell. Someone else was handling that now.

So why did he feel so empty?

"Chloe, the reports came back on the murder weapon," Ella announced as they entered the lab. "It looks like it was the husband after all."

"Are you sure?" Lucifer questioned. "After all, the knife belonged in the house. He could quite easily have handled it previously."

Ella shook her head. "DNA traces from him, fingerprints from him - in the blood - and none on any of the other knives, only hers. Sorry, Lucifer."

"Why are you so insistent it couldn't be him, anyway?" Chloe asked.

Lucifer sighed. "Just because he spends his time among criminals doesn't mean he'll turn bad."

"No one said it did," Chloe answered him. She faced him square on. "Lucifer, this isn't about you. This is about one man, who lost his temper. Yes, he learned to control it but then lost that control. Yes, that's scary. But it doesn't mean the same thing will happen to everyone in that position."

"Doesn't it?" Lucifer pondered the thought. He couldn't explain to her how much he had grown to fear the evil that he absorbed every day in Hell. He had been associated with evil for eons, been blamed for everything. At some stage, he had to face the fact that maybe he did cause it.

Maybe that's why he protested so much.

He pushed the thought away, and indicated the reports on the desk in front of them. "So what is the next step? Track this guy down?"

"Yes, I'll call Maze. Maybe she can find him for us."

"Sorry, Decker, too busy."

They turned to see Maze standing behind them. "You still hunting your wife who killed her husband?" Chloe asked her.

"Nope, finished that one. Found her crying in a heap, saying she didn't mean to do it. Got another one to do though. My, you humans are busy these days."

Maze turned and left. Ella watched after her, mouth open. "I don't know how she does it," she said. "Always on the go. She really seems to enjoy her job."

"Torturing humans is her purpose in life," Lucifer told her. "To be paid for it and told how good she is, that's always a bonus."

Ella smiled, as always taking his words as a joke. Lucifer wondered what she would say if she really knew the truth, if she understood who and what he and Maze were. For a moment the words swelled up inside him, and then he pushed them down again, loving the open expression on Ella's face and fearing the change he would bring. She reminded him so much of his little sister. His thoughts flicked to Azrael - eons of resentment towards her could not completely eclipse the fondness he once held. Maybe he could hang out with the fam a bit more, now that relationships were starting to ease.

Who was he trying to kid? He'd never been a family man. Why was he trying to force himself into a role that would never fit? Maybe he should go back to what he knew, running Hell, and stop trying to pretend that he could ever belong here.

Chloe's phone rang, and she answered it. "Hey, Lucifer, we got a sighting," she said. "Let's go."

Lucifer opened his mouth to say that he was going home, but somehow the words got twisted as they came out. "Let's take my car," he said instead. "I'll drive."

"I was hoping you would say that," Chloe answered, looping her arm playfully through his. "Lead on."

* * *

It was an easy arrest in the end. They found Melville in a bar in downtown LA, with a row of empty glasses in front of him. He looked up dejectedly as they approached him. "It took you long enough," he said.

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Is that all you have to say?"

He threw his hands out in a gesture of despair. "I killed my wife. I can't believe I did that. Why did I do that? I love her. I loved her. She was my everything." His words were slurred, and as he stood up he staggered slightly.

Lucifer reached out and steadied him, with a hand on his shoulder. Chloe put the cuffs on and read him his rights.

"I didn't want to kill her," Melville said as they marched him back to the car. His words were slurred, and he lurched unevenly against Lucifer, who was more or less holding him up. "It was - it was a little voice. A little voice in my head. I couldn't stop myself. The devil made me do it."

Chloe looked sharply across at Lucifer at the all-too-familiar phrase. The man was staring off into space, as though not even listening properly. His shoulders were slumped, and his eyes were red with exhaustion. She had a sudden flashback to that time when she was with Pierce, when Lucifer had tortured himself with sleep deprivation, and she felt a flush of shame at how she'd treated him that day.

"Lucifer?" she said gently.

Startled back to attention, he wouldn't meet her eyes. "I think I'll drop you off at the station and then leave you to the paperwork," he said.

"No."

At the firm tone in her voice, he finally looked at her. "No?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to wait while I hand this guy in, and then you and I are going to go somewhere and we're going to sit and talk."

His eyes widened slightly. Chloe suppressed a smile at the thought that he looked like Trixie when she knew she was in trouble and was fearing a telling off.

"Your place or mine?" she asked him, deliberately keeping her tone light. She had another flash of memory, of walking into his apartment to find covers over all the furniture and no trace of the man himself. And if he ran away this time, she feared he really wouldn't ever return.

And so an hour later they sat on the couch in Chloe's apartment. Lucifer shifted uneasily, looking uncomfortable. He sipped carefully from a mug of coffee, looking at her through the steam drifting from the hot liquid.

"Lucifer, please, we need to talk." She ignored the worried expression on his face, and continued. "The way we parted - the things we said. We can't just ignore them."

"What things?" His attempt at an innocent expression failed miserably.

Chloe hesitated, but she was beginning to understand that this was up to her. Lucifer just wasn't capable - yet - of the emotional maturity to discuss his feelings. If she didn't make him face up to it, they could continue in this elaborate dance for years - maybe for the rest of their lives.

The rest of her life, she reminded herself with a wince. He was immortal, of course.

"When we parted," she said carefully. "I told you that I love you. And you said I was your first love. Remember?"

He crossed his legs, then uncrossed them, and adjusted his cuffs. She waited.

"I remember," he said eventually. He smiled at the memory. "In fact, that memory helped me through my time in Hell."

"So we need to figure out where we go from there."

Lucifer shrugged. "I'm not sure where we can go, detective."

There was a tiny squeak, and Lucifer startled as the kitten jumped onto his lap. He absent-mindedly stroked it as he talked. "I'm worried it's not fair on you," he admitted. "What future is there for us? One day you'll end up in Heaven, and we both know I can't join you there."

"Oh Lucifer." Tears welled in her eyes at his miserable look. "Wherever I end up, I don't intend to be going there for a long time yet. Earth time, anyway."

He gave her a quick glance at the suggestion that she understood time in Hell passed differently.

"I'm more worried about you," she continued. "After all, you'll live far beyond my lifetime. Isn't a relationship with a mere human pointless?" That was the question that burned in her mind; why would he bother with her?

Lucifer looked down at the kitten, who had curled up on his lap and fallen asleep. "Why do you bother with a kitten?" he responded. "They live only a few years. Yet you still take them in and love them. And all they do for you is claw the furniture and create a stink."

Chloe glared at him. "Are you saying I'm just your pet?"

Did he actually blush? "Not at all, detective. But relationships can be meaningful even when they are necessarily short." His eyes widened, as though he was just starting to understand his own feelings.

"And who says I'd end up in heaven anyway?" Chloe teased him gently. "If the choice is heaven without you or hell with you, how do you feel so sure which I'd choose?"

A strange expression crossed his face, and she wondered what he was thinking.

"So how about we ignore the future, and focus on the here and now?" she said, resting a hand gently on his knee under the pretence of stroking the kitten. "Let's just enjoy each other's company and see how things go?"

He nodded, and for the first time since his return she saw the old gleam of mischief in his eyes. "That sounds a great idea, detective." He took an unsteady breath, then reached out for her hand, placing his large, warm one on top. "Chloe."

Her heart swelled at the sound of her name from his lips.

"And now it appears I'm trapped here anyway."

She looked at him, confused, and he indicated his lap.

"I can't possibly disturb this creature."

Smiling, she snuggled up against him, and he put his arm around her. They sat that way for a long time without speaking, until his breathing slowed and steadied, and she realised that he had fallen asleep. And on his lap, the kitten purred contentedly. Chloe knew exactly how it felt.

* * *

_Comments always welcome. I hope you've enjoyed the story. I do have two more planned in the series, but think I'd better get them well under way before starting to post!_


End file.
